Tucked between bustling city corners, the unassuming bodega is a New Yorker’s haven for a strong morning coffee, a late-night chopped cheese or a quick chat with the familiar bodega cat. You might count on it as your spot to grab a cheeky Twisted Tea or a last minute six-pack on your way to a friend’s, but what if it was also one of the coolest underground party spots in the city? That’s exactly what happens at Bodega Rave, a secretive, high-energy event series in the Bronx, breathing new life into NYC’s nightlife scene.
“Bodegas are a staple in NYC culture, especially for the lower class,” explains Rich Pascasio, artist and co-founder of Mundo, the Bronx-based nightlife cooperative behind this event. “It’s home to us, and it gets us through the days when we’re lacking in resources. What’s cool is that this is our way of honoring that feeling of home and reinventing what’s possible for NYC’s nightlife. Plus, who doesn’t want to eat a chopped cheese while dancing? It’s a win-win.”
I wanted to see if this bodega party would live up to the hype. So I showed up with the secret coordinates I’d been sent, as our Uber dropped us off on a seemingly deserted corner of the Bronx. The only signs of life were the police everywhere (the founders tell me they were there in support of the party to make sure everyone was safe), and the thumping beat seeping from an unassuming bodega on the corner. A line of people snaked towards the entrance on the sidewalk. Skipping said line (being a journalist has its privileges), the bouncer opened the door and motioned for us to enter the bodega-cum-dance party.
Walking in, I was hit with the energy: purple lights illuminating the dimly-lit room, people swaying and grinding to the music and the unmistakable buzz of a party in full swing. It was packed, sweaty and loud as reggaeton blared over the speakers. The DJs hyped up the energy from behind the bodega counter, their backdrop of coffee machines and juice dispensers feeling camp in the best way. The air buzzed with a raw, unpolished energy you can’t easily find in snooty Manhattan clubs or carefully curated bars in Brooklyn.
Phones stayed predominantly tucked away as the crowd lived fully in the moment. “It’s like Fight Club,” says co-founder Chris “Flaco” Veras. “The location always changes, and it’s all kept secret unless you’ve got the coordinates or you’re in the Telegram group. It’s fresh — not just for the Bronx, but in general.”
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Who needs a literal island paradise when you have these 18 getaways right in the city?Bodega Rave has held four installations so far, evolving into a vibrant celebration of the Bronx’s rich cultural heritage. The founders — Veras, Pascasio and their DJ collaborator, Guari — have deep roots in the community. “We all grew up in the Bronx,” Veras says. “Everything we do, whether it’s producing music or throwing events, is about showing the Bronx is a magical and beautiful place that shouldn’t be forgotten.”
At the core of the party is the music, which makes sense considering that’s how the trio was first connected. All three are experienced DJs who have come together to create something they wanted to see in the place they grew up and still call home. Two of the three, who call themselves Dos Flacos, have been collaborating for more than 10 years.
“We met when Richard was at FIT during his college years,” Veras says. “This was circa 2013. I had started DJing in the Bronx, and he approached me about it, suggesting we link up. The following year we started working on our craft together. We had amazing synergy. Now, from DJing to producing events, the rest is history.”
As the night picks up, DJs — including the founding duo — spin tracks from the Caribbean, India, Brazil and beyond. “It’s a rave because we’re artists who play rave music and have a deep connection to that culture,” Pascasio says. “But the music we play has Caribbeanism and Afrocentrism at its core, so it feels different yet familiar to the community. We want to bring that rave energy back to the Bronx.”
“We do our best to find music artists that can push the narrative forward of forward-thinking music,” Veras adds. “Whether it’s our homies from Chicago or our friend who just got back from playing in Italy or our friends in Rio de Janeiro, they have specific styles that push the narrative of global music. So walking into Bodega Rave, you have no idea what to expect.”
But what makes the party sick is that it’s not just about the music — it’s a full sensory experience. Drinks flowed from behind a counter in the back room, where you could order anything from rum to a Nutcracker with a Mundo label on it. “When you walk in, you see the fridges, the juice machines, the ice cream, and then there’s the dance floor, the lighting, and the chefs cooking in the back,” Veras says. “By 11:30, it’s packed. The vibe is amazing.”
Personally, I danced until I worked up an appetite, which meant it was time to order my typical 2 a.m. chopped cheese. This time it wasn’t on my way home, though. Dancing with my friends while stuffing my face with burger meat and washing it all down with a tequila soda has now become the most ideal way to spend a late Saturday night, in my humble opinion.
It was moments like this that made me believe them when the founders were adamant this isn’t just another party. “We’re not promoters,” Pascasio says. “We’re artists activating dope spaces and promoting culture. We do this for our community, for us, by us. The Bronx often gets seen as the black sheep of NYC; when in reality, it’s the mecca of culture in the city.”
So, how can you secure your spot at the next Bodega Rave? “Follow us on our instagram and sign up for updates @mundonewyork, and through there you will see all new information,” Pascasio says. “If you want first dibs on new information plus perks, request to join the Mundo Private Chat via Telegram and wait to be accepted by the chat bot. To be accepted into the chat, you must have a clear profile picture of your face and preferably your legal first name. This is for security purposes.” Once you’re on the list and making plans, he also strongly advises you arrive early, a tip I can second after seeing the line of eager people waiting.
As for what’s next, Veras says Bodega Rave is only the beginning. “We have so much more planned — events, performances, original music,” he says. “This is just a small piece of what we have in store for our community.”
For now, though, Bodega Rave remains one of the coolest underground experiences in NYC, a place where you can dance, eat and lose yourself in the underrated magic of the Bronx.
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